The herbalists of ancient times knew about the powers of St. John's wort, and they used it for a wide variety of ailments. However, Western medicine discarded the ancient knowledge, dropping the study of herbs from medical school curricula. In its assumption that the old teachings were unscientific old wives' tales, the medical profession lost touch with these gifts of the natural world.

In this chapter, we'll first look at the history of this fascinating plant. I'll then discuss St. John's wort's antidepressive effects and its numerous other benefits.

An Ancient Medicine Rediscovered
St. John's wort presents a wonderful paradox. Known to healers for thousands of years, it has become an overnight sensation in the modern media. No doubt utilized by some of the earliest civilizations, the oldest records of its use come from Greek and Roman times, according to herbalist Christopher Hobbes. Dioscorides, the foremost Greek herbalist, recommended it for sciatica and malaria relief, and as a diuretic and female tonic. Pliny the Elder, the Roman naturalist, found it effective against snakebite when mixed with wine. (We're not sure whether the wine was to be mixed with the herb, or just drunk to take one's mind off the pain!)

The botanical name Hypericum comes from the Greek words yper, meaning upper, and eikon, or image. The Greeks and Romans believed that St. John's wort protected them from evil spirits and witches' spells, and often placed the herb in their homes and above statues of their gods. Perhaps the spirits and spells referred to depression and anxiety, mental disorders with no obvious physical cause.

The early Christians incorporated many ancient beliefs into their new religion. Preexisting spring rituals, for instance, were renamed as saints' feast days. In this tradition, Christian mystics named Hypericum after St. John the Baptist. It was traditionally collected on St. John's Day, June 24, and soaked in olive oil for days to produce a blood-red anointing oil, said to symbolize the blood of the saint.

By the thirteenth century, belief in the herb's mystical power was well established. People brought the flowers of the plant into their houses on Midsummer Eve, or St. John's Eve (June 23), to protect them from the powers of evil. In another common practice, they put the plants under their pillows on St. John's Eve. According to legend, the saint would appear in a dream, give his blessing, and protect the sleeper from dying during the following year. St. John's wort was also burned in bonfires on St. John's Eve to drive away evil spirits, purify the air, and protect crops.

According to the traditional doctrine of signatures, an herb's physical appearance gives an indication of its specific healing power. Red plants, reminiscent of blood, were felt to be good for wound healing. The red oil in St. John's wort was no exception. Crusaders not only carried the plant to protect themselves from sorcery, but also used the soaked flowers and leaves as an ointment to help heal the wounds of battle. Physicians in the sixteenth century found the herb to be very effective for treating deep wounds. The first London Pharmacopoeia, published in 1618, recommended that the flowers be placed in oil and allowed to stand for three weeks. The resulting tincture was used for wounds and bruises. Other traditional folk uses for St. John's Wort include the treatment of gout, rheumatism, and jaundice.